ABSTRACT
There are now patches that monitor glucose continuously. They are called Continuous Glucose Monitors or CGM. They are small enough to not interfere with daily activities, and they can be worn in the shower. These devices are more comfortable and less intrusive than collecting blood from the finger several times a day. Many young people don’t want their friends to see them doing a glucose test, because it makes them different making a CGM device attractive. In the future, calibration may not be required making it even more convenient. They have a single needle that penetrates the skin to sample blood, although they are comfortable and can be worn for up to two weeks. It is necessary to calibrate the device when it is first installed. The patient pricks a finger and gets a reading with a standard glucose measurement device which is entered into the CGM device typically using a smartphone. Two leading players in this market are Abbott Diabetes and Dexcom.
